Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 21/ Trend , E. Rustamov/ The United States deplores the terrible loss of life that is associated with events in Khojali throughout the conflict. Terrible event simply shows how it is important to continue to work very hard in finding peaceful, just negotiated solution to this conflict, U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan Ann Derse told Trend .
The Armenian troops committed the Khojali genocide from Feb. 25 to Feb. 26, 1992. The massacre claimed lives of 613 people. A total of 106 of them are women and 83 children. As many as 1,275 people were taken prisoners, 150 went missing and 487 were disabled.
"I will never forget in my first year in Azerbaijan when I met with the victims of the Khojali massacre... I heard the story that I will always remember...," Derse said.
The U.S. ambassador urged to continue to work hard for a peaceful and just negotiated solution.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
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